Uche Sparks Dominant Palace Triumph at Shelbourne.
Even though embarking on their maiden continental adventure, Oliver Glasner's side are adapting very quickly. Missing key players like striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles departed Dublin with a comfortable result that virtually guarantees them a place in the Conference League qualifying rounds.
A further victory in their upcoming match against Finnish KuPS ought to be sufficient to seal straight entry to the last 16, especially after a prior setback against Strasbourg.
Squad Members Seize the Moment
This occasion provided a platform for some of Palace's fringe talent to impress. Christantus Uche, making only his second start after joining on loan from Getafe, notched the account with a well-taken finish. Forward Eddie Nketiah contributed a another, finding the net for the second game in succession.
The Shelbourne team that had finished their league season were no match even for a largely second-string Palace outfit. The Londoners were already depleted by the news that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with knee injuries.
Control Established from the Start
Despite torrential rain in Dublin, Palace quickly took control. A flowing passing sequence in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's incisive pass, let Nketiah to set up Uche for a simple tap-in.
Youngster Adam Wharton came close minutes later, fizzing a long-range shot over the bar. Nketiah then claimed for a penalty after bursting into the area, but the referee dismissed the appeals.
The formerArsenal man did not have wait long to find his goal, tapping home from close range after Uche's shot had struck the post.
The home side were clinging on desperately. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to avoid a booking for a couple of agricultural tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards rattled the woodwork with a powerful header from a corner.
Yeremy Pino Wraps Up the Contest
The contest was as good as over eight minutes from half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past some comically weak challenges before calmly dispatching a shot past goalkeeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
After the break, manager Oliver Glasner seized the opportunity to withdraw several players like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse came close to scoring his very first touch, only to see his shot blocked.
Esse was desperately unlucky later on, seeing one attempt crash off each posts before being gathered on the line. Uche also missed a glaring chance, showing there is still room for improvement in his game.
A solitary worry for Palace was a late knock to Justin Devenny, who was forced off. This allowed 17-year-old forward Benji Casey to earn his senior debut, rounding off an otherwise perfect night for the traveling side.
